Head Happiness

Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Awhile ago I started a thread about our clogged 1991 aft head discharge hose. Long story short ended up replacing with Trident 102 hose from Defender. Well, before the fix our electric toilets worked great except even when bringing in sea water before use it would drain through the worn out non-standard and manufacture discontinued joker valve. What I discovered by accident after the fact was where the old discharge hose connected to the toilet, it had a very short loop, maybe an inch or two. When I connected the new hose I left an eight inch loop, not realizing it solved the water in the bowl problem. Now, after discharging the bowl contents to the holding tank, what is left is a nice fresh half full bowl of sea water ready for the next use. Need to do the same when I replace the forward head sanitation hose at some point, because it does the same thing as the aft head did before the hose change.

Dear Peggie, do you know whether joker valves come in different sizes? I ordered one several years ago, but was almost twice the size as the original. I know that joker valves are not as important in electric toilets as in manual. But it would be nice to have a new one that fits. Would prefer not to replace a perfectly working 1991 Jabsco electric just to get a standard sized joker valve.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
Joker valves do come in different sizes, depending on whether the toilet discharge fitting is 1" or 1.5".

And btw... you may not be quite as happy to keep half a bowl of water in the toilet after you've had to spend time mopping up the head after being tossed around by heavy seas or even really serious wake frm a large vessel.

--Peggie
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I just returned from a longish sail with two other men and can attest that you don’t want that bowl half full of water underway!
 
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Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Thanks for the joker valve tip, Peggie. I'll look into it.

Good advice on the bowl water. I suppose I could close the sea water intake, empty the bowl, then bring water in when needed.
 
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Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
No worries here in our protected waters. Seas always calm, never any wind, rain every day :liar:.
 
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Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
where the old discharge hose connected to the toilet, it had a very short loop, maybe an inch or two

@Terry Cox, could you please describe the 1" loop in your discharge hose ? Can't see how you could get anything smaller that about a 36" loop in those cast iron hoses.

PS. Pardon me for saying, but I think the whole problem is in your head :dancing:.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
A bit difficult to describe. Better if I take a picture of the new hose loop as a basis to describe the old hose. Old hose maybe closer to a three inch loop. By that I mean loop height rather than loop length. The height was the main factor in leaving clean sea water in the bowl ready for the next use rather than evacuating in an empty bowl.
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
The height was the main factor in leaving clean sea water in the bowl ready for the next use rather than evacuating in an empty
I'm always surprised that it never seems to occur to anyone to use a beer cup to add water from sink to the bowl ahead of solid waste.

--Peggie
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
No beer cups here, but that is what I did before the new hose. Trouble was the worn out joker valve let the water drain out to the holding tank. Now it remains in the bowl until time to flush.
 

NYSail

.
Jan 6, 2006
3,048
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
Awhile ago I started a thread about our clogged 1991 aft head discharge hose. Long story short ended up replacing with Trident 102 hose from Defender. Well, before the fix our electric toilets worked great except even when bringing in sea water before use it would drain through the worn out non-standard and manufacture discontinued joker valve. What I discovered by accident after the fact was where the old discharge hose connected to the toilet, it had a very short loop, maybe an inch or two. When I connected the new hose I left an eight inch loop, not realizing it solved the water in the bowl problem. Now, after discharging the bowl contents to the holding tank, what is left is a nice fresh half full bowl of sea water ready for the next use. Need to do the same when I replace the forward head sanitation hose at some point, because it does the same thing as the aft head did before the hose change.

Dear Peggie, do you know whether joker valves come in different sizes? I ordered one several years ago, but was almost twice the size as the original. I know that joker valves are not as important in electric toilets as in manual. But it would be nice to have a new one that fits. Would prefer not to replace a perfectly working 1991 Jabsco electric just to get a standard sized joker valve.
not really sure what you mean about joker valves not necessary on electric heads....... I have two and without a good joker the bowl fills with nasty stuff.

and how did you loop trident hose that tight? Love to see that photo.

greg
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Hi Greg, I never said not necessary, just not as important in an electric toilet. Have no issue with poo back flow in either toilet. Next trip to the boat I will take a pic of the hose loop and post it. As far as the worn out joker valve goes, as long as the system works to my satisfaction, I’ll live with it. It seems Jabsco used a proprietary version when they designed our 1991 model. The last time I checked, to fix the joker valve issue requires a retrofit upgrade to the lower end of the toilet. Just not that important when they work just fine as is.

The original product manual for our model shows a flapper valve in place of a joker valve, but upon inspection Jabsco used a very small joker valve. Age has caused the valve material to freeze in the open position. But again, head happiness reigns at the moment.
 
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Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Oh what a waste of a perfectly good beer cup, Len :D. I use a plastic pee bottle (formerly a plastic wide mouth water bottle rescued from the roadside) for that process. It also serves as a middle of the night pee evacuation rather than using the flusher. Lesson learned from my winter backpacking days when staying warm in the tent was better than tromping in the snow/rain for a late night pee.
 
Jul 5, 2011
702
Oday 28 Madison, CT
I have been doing that for years, Peggy, and yes, it sure makes "stuff" slide better......
 
Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
Apparently I've done a better job of educating folks over the past 20+ years about some things than I realized. I'd be even happier to learn that I'd succeeded in spreading the word far enough for at least some of you to have learned about it from another source.

--Peggie
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Correction to one of my earlier posts. New waste discharge hose is Raritan Saniflex, not Trident as I stated. I'll post pics of the installation loop as soon as I upload them from my camera.